Türkiye probes mayors over stray dogs

Mayors in Türkiye are now under investigation for failing to comply with orders to remove stray dogs from the streets. The news was announced by Türkiye's Ministry of the Interior in a Facebook post. The investigations have been prompted by an increasing number of cases involving citizens being bitten or attacked by stray dogs.

Investigations have been launched against the mayor of Koycegiz Municipality in Mugla Province (elected from the opposition Republican People's Party) and the mayor of Narman Municipality in Erzurum Province, Adem Kınalı (elected from the ruling Justice and Development Party). Meanwhile, Serhan Paydas, the mayor of Hilvan Municipality in Sanlıurfa Province (elected with the support of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party), is the subject of a preliminary inquiry, CE Report quotes BTA.

"The Ministry of the Interior is conducting intensive investigations and inspections regarding the implementation of legislation related to incidents involving stray animals that threaten the safety of our citizens," the Turkish Interior Ministry said.

According to Türkiye's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, there are around four million stray dogs in the country. However, the Turkish Veterinary Medical Association estimates that the actual number exceeds 8 million. Following a rise in attacks, Türkiye passed a law requiring millions of stray dogs to be placed in shelters. The process of removing them from the streets began nearly two years ago. For example, the Istanbul Governor's Office issued an order requiring all stray animals in the city to be removed from the streets by the end of May 2026.

The measures sparked mass protests by animal lovers and drew sharp criticism from the main opposition Republican People's Party. Supporters of the policy, on the other hand, voiced concerns about attacks by stray dogs, related incidents, and the spread of rabies. A number of such cases, some with fatal outcomes, attracted widespread public attention and prompted protests calling for the removal of stray dogs from the streets, ultimately leading to the adoption of the law. Animal rights activists, however, continue to advocate for expanded spay and neuter campaigns as an alternative to the mass placement of stray dogs in shelters.

At the end of May, Türkiye's Interior Minister, Mustafa Ciftci, announced that 81% of the country's stray animals had already been removed from the streets.

Photo: Chat GPT